Chicken Samosa (Patti Samosa)
چکن سموسہ (پٹی والا)
Unlike the thick, pastry-wrapped potato samosa, the chicken samosa sold in Karachi and served at iftar is made with thin, ready-made samosa sheets (*patti*). They fold into neat triangles around a filling of shredded chicken cooked with onion, green chili and spices, and fry in minutes into something light and very crisp. They freeze beautifully, so many families make a hundred before Ramadan.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 10 min
- Prep: 40 min
- Cook: 30 min
- Medium
- Serves 24
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Simmer the chicken in the water with half the salt and the ginger-garlic paste for 15–20 minutes until cooked through and the water has nearly evaporated. Cool slightly, then shred finely with two forks.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the and fry the onions for 4–5 minutes until soft and just turning golden. Add the shredded chicken, the rest of the salt, chili powder, crushed chilies, cumin, garam masala and pepper, and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until dry.
Turn off the heat and mix in the green chilies, coriander and mint. Spread on a plate and cool completely before filling, or the steam will make the sheets soggy.
Fold the samosas: hold a strip of patti, fold one corner over to make a triangle cone, fill it with a tablespoon of chicken, then keep folding the triangle along the strip. Seal the last flap with the flour paste. Keep the folded samosas under a cloth.
Heat the oil for frying to medium. Fry 5–6 samosas at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack.
Serve hot with green chutney, imli chutney or ketchup.
Kitchen notes
Keep the unused patti covered with a damp cloth while you work; it dries and cracks within minutes in the open air.
Close every corner tightly. Any gap lets oil in and the filling out.
To freeze, lay the uncooked samosas on a tray, freeze for 2 hours, then pack in bags. Fry straight from frozen for 5–6 minutes.
The Ramadan freezer staple
In the last week of Shaban, many Pakistani kitchens turn into small samosa factories: a bowl of filling, a stack of patti, someone folding, someone sealing and trays going into the freezer. Chicken patti samosas are the most popular kind, because they’re quick to fry straight from frozen and they’re always welcome at iftar.
The filling
The chicken is poached with ginger and garlic until the water is almost gone, then shredded finely and fried with onions and spices until dry. Moisture is the enemy here. A wet filling makes the thin sheets go soft and can burst them in the oil. Cool the filling completely before folding.
Fresh coriander, mint and green chili, added off the heat, keep it tasting fresh even after weeks in the freezer.
Folding
The patti strip is folded in triangles like a flag: fold a corner to form a cone, fill it, and keep folding over itself along the strip, ending with a little flour paste to seal. It takes a few tries to get neat, tight triangles; after a dozen it becomes quick.
Frying
Medium heat gives a golden, bubbly crust without burning the thin layers. Don’t overcrowd the pan, and drain on a wire rack.
Serving
Serve with green chutney, imli chutney or the fiery lehsan chutney.
Questions people ask
Where do I get samosa patti?
Ready-made samosa and roll patti is sold frozen in most Pakistani supermarkets. Spring roll wrappers cut into strips are the closest substitute abroad.
Can I bake them?
Yes. Brush with oil and bake at 200°C for 15–18 minutes, turning once. They're crisp but less blistered than fried ones.
Can I use keema instead?
Yes. Cook beef or chicken mince dry, like keema matar without the peas, and use the same way.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 95
- Protein
- 6 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
